The invention is directed to an overdetermined movement platform system, comprising a base; a platform movable along 6 degrees of freedom relative to said base; at least eight long-stroke actuators, wherein each actuator couples the base with the platform and a controller which (a) is configured to adapt a demanded platform movement set-point to a commanded platform movement set-point, (b) is configured to move the eight long-stroke actuators such that the commanded platform movement set-point is achieved and (c) is configured to dynamically redistribute the forces as exercised by the actuators on the platform between the actuators.

The invention is directed to an overdetermined movement platform system, comprising a base; a platform movable along 6 degrees of freedom relative to said base; at least eight long-stroke actuators, wherein each actuator couples the base with the platform and a controller which (a) is configured to adapt a demanded platform movement set-point to a commanded platform movement set-point, (b) is configured to move the eight long-stroke actuators such that the commanded platform movement set-point is achieved and (c) is configured to dynamically redistribute the forces as exercised by the actuators on the platform between the actuators.

This invention relates to motion generators comprising: an end effector, a stationary support, a first set of elastic elements interconnecting the end effector and the stationary support; a set of tensile members; in which the end effector is supported within the stationary support by the elastic elements; and a set of actuators in which the motion generator further comprises at least six rockers each rocker being pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the stationary support, and each rocker having a free end; the set of tensile members comprising: at least six elongate tensile members, each elongate tensile member having one end connected to a rocker and the other end connected to one of a second set of elastic elements which are fixed; a set of connecting elements connecting each rocker to the end effector and in which each one of the set of tensile members is independently adjustably tensioned by an associated actuator to move the free end of the rocker, which rocker movement causes movement of a connected connecting element leading to movement of the end effector.

This invention relates to motion generators comprising: an end effector, a stationary support, a first set of elastic elements interconnecting the end effector and the stationary support; a set of tensile members; in which the end effector is supported within the stationary support by the elastic elements; and a set of actuators in which the motion generator further comprises at least six rockers each rocker being pivotally mounted at one end thereof on the stationary support, and each rocker having a free end; the set of tensile members comprising: at least six elongate tensile members, each elongate tensile member having one end connected to a rocker and the other end connected to one of a second set of elastic elements which are fixed; a set of connecting elements connecting each rocker to the end effector and in which each one of the set of tensile members is independently adjustably tensioned by an associated actuator to move the free end of the rocker, which rocker movement causes movement of a connected connecting element leading to movement of the end effector.

A motion simulation apparatus includes a motion platform. A carrier for carrying a user is mounted on the motion platform. The apparatus has a drive arm with a lower end that is pivotally mounted on a substrate to pivot relative to the substrate with two degrees of freedom of movement and an upper end that is pivotally connected to the motion platform to pivot with respect to the motion platform with two degrees of freedom of movement. The apparatus has two guide arms, each guide arm having a lower end that is pivotally mounted on the substrate to pivot relative to the substrate with three degrees of freedom of movement and an upper end that is pivotally connected to the motion platform to pivot relative to the motion platform with three degrees of freedom of movement. The drive arm, the guide arms and the motion platform define a dynamic frame that can pivot with respect to the substrate such that a resultant movement of the motion platform can be imparted to the carrier.

A joint assembly has a housing having an inner wall surrounding an interior cavity of the housing. A slider is held captive in the interior cavity of the housing so as to define an annular volume extending radially between the slider and the inner wall of housing, the slider constrained to planar movement and a rotational degree of freedom in the housing. An annular resilient member is in the annular volume, the annular resilient member exerting a biasing force between the slider and the housing toward a neutral configuration. The housing is adapted to be connected to one of a ground/base/motion platform and a linear actuator, and the slider is adapted to be connected to the other of the ground/base/motion platform and the linear actuator.

An orientable seating device includes a seat, the orientation of which can be controlled to dynamically affect a desired of yaw, pitch and roll. The seating device can be used to reorient and/or to simulate motion for a seated person for use with video games, virtual reality headsets or goggles, land, water, air or space vehicle simulation, or wireless airborne drones, for example. The device includes a seat mounted on a carriage, which is received in a carriage pedestal. Within the pedestal, a drive wheel positioned under the carriage supports and rotates the carriage by driving an outer sphere-shaped surface of the carriage. The drive wheel can be reoriented around a vertical axis such that any combination of pitch and roll can be achieved by rotating the wheel against the sphere-shaped surface. Yaw can be controlled by a rotatable platform upon which the carriage pedestal can be mounted.

An orientable seating device includes a seat, the orientation of which can be controlled to dynamically affect a desired of yaw, pitch and roll. The seating device can be used to reorient and/or to simulate motion for a seated person for use with video games, virtual reality headsets or goggles, land, water, air or space vehicle simulation, or wireless airborne drones, for example. The device includes a seat mounted on a carriage, which is received in a carriage pedestal. Within the pedestal, a drive wheel positioned under the carriage supports and rotates the carriage by driving an outer sphere-shaped surface of the carriage. The drive wheel can be reoriented around a vertical axis such that any combination of pitch and roll can be achieved by rotating the wheel against the sphere-shaped surface. Yaw can be controlled by a rotatable platform upon which the carriage pedestal can be mounted.

An embodiment of a vehicle simulator includes a base support, a movable integral support, and a plurality of actuators. Each actuator is disposed between the base support and the movable integral support and is arranged to cause movement of the movable integral support relative to the base support. The vehicle simulator further includes a seat device rigidly connected to the movable integral support. The vehicle simulator further includes a first actuator arranged to cause a first force on the movable integral support in a transverse direction at a first position. The vehicle simulator further includes a second actuator arranged to apply a second force to the movable integral support in the transverse direction at a second position, the first position and the second position being spaced apart along a longitudinal direction.

A 3 DOFs decoupling spherical parallel mechanism provided by the present disclosure comprises: a fixed platform, a rotation assembly, a moving platform, a first arc kinematic chain, a second arc kinematic chain, a first arc rod, and a second arc rod. In the 3 DOFs decoupling spherical parallel mechanism, the rotation assembly can drive the moving platform to rotate by 360 degrees around a direction being perpendicular to the fixed platform, and the first arc rod and the second arc rod reciprocate along tangential directions of the first arc kinematic chain and of the second arc kinematic chain respectively to enable the moving platform to rotate around an axis of a plane where the first arc kinematic chain or the second arc kinematic chain is located. In this way, the rotations of the moving platform in three directions are respectively driven by driving units in three directions and being independent from each other, such that the three rotation actions of the mechanism have decoupling capability.